Groundbreaking postponed for Dan Gilbert's $900M Detroit tower

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Dive Brief:

Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert's development company has pushed back the groundbreaking date by two weeks for what will be Detroit's tallest building, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The $909 million, 800-foot-tall, high-rise will break ground on Dec. 14 to allow project officials to better prepare for the ceremony, which will feature appearances by Gilbert and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

Project officials said the delay was not caused by a lag in the construction schedule.

Dive Insight:

Earlier this month, general contractor Barton Malow offered new details on the project. In addition to the main tower, the development will include a mid-rise, mixed-use building with a public skydeck, as well as office, retail and event space. The complex will also see the construction of a 700-car underground parking garage, 93,000 square feet of exhibit space and a street-level market.

The project has been in the making for five years and has since undergone changes to its original plans. In September, developer Bedrock submitted new plans for the project, including moving from a one-building design to the current two-building setup and raising the primary tower's height by 65 feet. Those changes increased the price tag by $125 million.

Aside from planning for what promises to be an extravagant groundbreaking ceremony, Gilbert and his development team are likely also busy negotiating with the city of Detroit and Wayne County over a site for a possible $1 billion Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium and mixed-use development. Gilbert and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores have been trying to strike a deal with both entities to build a soccer stadium on the site of a stalled jail project. The deal would see Gilbert and Gores' consortium provide land and some financial backing for a bigger facility elsewhere in the city. The developers scored a win earlier this week when the Detroit City Council voted to support the $520 million land swap.

On Wednesday, the MLS named Detroit as one of four finalists in the running for its two remaining franchise expansion slots, according to Crain's Detroit Business. Detroit and the other three cities will make their presentations to the MLS on Dec. 6.